Rocky Bushiri reveals why he was keen for Hibs return despite 'hard times' last season

There is little point in pretending that Rocky Bushiri sailed through his first few months as a Hibs player. The Belgium youngster endured several low points last season and everyone knows it.

But when asked about them in the wake of the weekend win over Bonnyrigg Rose, the 22 year-old was not in an introspective mood.

"There were a few things but I'm not going to get into them,” he stated, preferring instead to focus on a victory that had helped right the ship after the midweek loss to Falkirk and sets them up nicely for the final Premier Sports Cup group match against Morton on Wednesday night.

"But, you learn the most in difficult moments and you become a better player. It's all experience."

Still relatively inexperienced at club first team level, for the past four years he has pottered about Europe playing half a dozen games on loan here, four games there, another seven somewhere else. Signing for Norwich City in 2019, he had hoped to make a bigger impact but failed to manage even one first team appearance. Which is why he has taken a major pay cut to try his hand in Leith instead.

On loan at Hibs in the second half of last term, he was a regular under Shaun Maloney but revealing he was carrying injuries, he became one of the poster boys for the club’s disappointing season.

A player who tries to combat the doubts and negativity with his own mental coach, he says it helps him control his emotions. But he is only human and, following the criticism that followed his loan deal becoming permanent, club chief executive Ben Kensell spoke out in support of the player who had followed him from Carrow Road, saying Bushiri had been hurt by the hate.

Holding a mirror up to the fans has seen the Belgium Under-21 defender receive more love and a second chance and he is hoping that an improved season, collectively and individually, will generate better vibes.

Rocky Bushiri in action during Hibs' 4-1 win over Bonnyrigg Rose in the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

"There was frustration last season, it wasn't good enough. When you're coming from an English Premier League club like Norwich City, they expect loads but it's behind us now and I'm focusing on myself and working hard with the new staff to be better.

"There were hard times last season, hard for the club, but it makes you stronger mentally. We can create a positive mindset with positive results."

Sift through the rubble of the past campaign and there was enough to convince Bushiri that his future is in Edinburgh.

"I felt really good in the team and with the board and I really wanted to stay and grow here, so I kind of knew I was coming back.”

Now he is taking it game by game.

"It's a new system, we want to recover the ball as high as possible and it needs a lot of energy. The League Cup games are like pre-season so we’re not all at the same physical level. But with this system I can really show my physicality. I like to defend high and tight behind the man, so I'm enjoying this.

"I worked hard during the summer to be ready for this season. Now I'm ready to work hard every game to be the best version of myself."

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